Second 4x5 camera considerations and suggestions?

[monkeytumble]

Started LF with a 4x5 Sinar P. I love the Sinar in the studio, but when I want to set it up more than 20 steps from the car, well, that love affair fades quickly. So, I am considering a second 4x5 "field" camera.

So, I would like to hear your thoughts on what the relevant considerations are when considering a more mobile 4x5 camera and what camera you might suggest. If you would like a little more information about my photographic direction: 1) portraiture, 2) close up (not macro) of things between the size of a basket ball and Volkswagen, 3) landscape; and, I use B&W film and develop my own film.

Thanks,

Jay Decker
Kennewick, WA

[archphoto]

How about a Sinar F ? Then you can use a lot of what you have right now.
Basicly you will need just 2 F standards......that can be used as standard for a copendium etc.
More expensive: a field camera, but then you have to either get a second set of lenses or put your lenses onto Linhoff Master Boards and get a adapter-lens-board for the P.
Luxery: Linhoff Master Technica and a adapter-lens-board for the P.

Be aware that field camera's are not so usefull in close-ups, because you focus with your lens.

Peter

GAS: Sinar P2 8x10 and 4x5

[Steve Hamley]

There aren't any real 4x5 field cameras that use Sinar boards, and a F/F-1,2 might do well. A Norma might also do you well. For a lightweight folding wood field camera, Ebony RW45. If you want more features (like asymmetric rear swing and tilt) try an Ebony with a "U" suffix. A mahogany SV45U would be nice for the "weight conscious".

Cheers

Steve

[archphoto]

Sinar is the LEGO for grown-ups: pick the building-blocks you want to make the camera you want.....

Remember that most of the weight of the P (and P2) is in the standards.......

Peter

[MikeSeb]

Jay, if you decide to go the Sinar F route, I may be selling mine soon. PM if interested.

[monkeytumble]

... More expensive: a field camera, but then you have to either get a second set of lenses or put your lenses onto Linhoff Master Boards and get a adapter-lens-board for the P.
Luxery: Linhoff Master Technica and a adapter-lens-board for the P.

You bring up a very good point. By sheer luck, I have a Technica to Sinar lens-board adapter made by S. K. Grimes. I friend purchased it for me. The thing looks brand new and he paid next to nothing for it (he picked out of a left over parts bin). So, something that would accept a Technica lens-board might be an obvious criteria.

[Nick Zentena]

I'd think about something like the Shen FCL-57. Add the 4x5 back. I don't remember if the current versions use Sinar or Linhof boards. You'll get longer bellows then a common field camera. It's still fairly light. 3kg?? Plus you get to try 5x7 to

[archphoto]

Actualy I went the other way: I had a Master Technika with lenses on Tecnika boards. I traded it in for a P2, stupid, I should have kept the Master, and made an adapter board with Wista parts I had laying around.
The biggest advantage is that the Technika boards are compact, so the carrying case can be relative small.
I am an architectural photographer that uses the P2 4x5 on location in Holland.

[2F/2F]

A Sinar field model (F, F+, F1, F2) is fairly easy to pack up, just as well built as your P, and you would not have to change anything onto different boards or buy redundant accessories for a new brand of camera. Make one of your standards a multipurpose instead of an F, and you are even lighter. If you can manage to do what you need to do with coarse focusing alone (which you probably can), you can even make both standards multipurpose ones.

Oh yeah. They are also cheap as dirt!

[EASmithV]

Started LF with a 4x5 Sinar P. I love the Sinar in the studio, but when I want to set it up more than 20 steps from the car, well, that love affair fades quickly. So, I am considering a second 4x5 "field" camera.

So, I would like to hear your thoughts on what the relevant considerations are when considering a more mobile 4x5 camera and what camera you might suggest. If you would like a little more information about my photographic direction: 1) portraiture, 2) close up (not macro) of things between the size of a basket ball and Volkswagen, 3) landscape; and, I use B&W film and develop my own film.

Thanks,

Jay Decker
Kennewick, WA

You should look into a Graflex Pacemaker 4x5. It's technically a "press camera" and not a "Field camera" but the only difference I'm aware of is that in a "field camera" the film plane is tiltable while it is fixed in a press camera.

They are very tough, and not too heavy.